Electrical heating device



Sept. 20, 1932. w w c s 1,878,140

ELECTRICAL HEATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 9, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR v g'W/mm Wesley/270k;

A TI'OR NE YS Sept. 20, 1932. w. w; HICKS ELECTRICAL HEATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 9, 1928 3 Sheets$heet 2 y n w v II: a l

FIE E J V w .v \\\\\\\\\\k ll Q\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Q\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ I INVENTOR W/W/am Wa/ey/flcks BY ATTORNEYS Sept. 20, 1932.

ELECTRICAL HEATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 9, 1928 FIIE E W. W. HICKS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIE 7 INVEATOR gfW/bm Wesley flicks A TTORNEYS Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM WESLEY HICKS, 01' SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ABSIGNOR TO WESII NATIONAL COMPANY ,OI' SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION 01 DELA- WARE ELECTRICAL HEATING DEVICE Application filed January 9, 1028. serial No. 245,291.

This invention relates generally to electrical heating devices, particularly devices capable of universal application.

It is an object of this invention to devise an electrical heating device of increased utility which will function either as a room heater or as a hot plate for cooking.

It is a further object of this invention to devise improved structures for mounting and supporting an electrical. heating element so that this element may be swung from a gen-. eral upright position in which it may function asa room heater, to a general horizontal position in which it may be utilized as an electrical hot plate.

It is a further object of this invention to devise an electrical hot plate structure which may be readily clamped to an ordinary cooking range so as to provide an emergency or auxiliary cooking appllance and which may be swung to an out of the way position.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description in which I have set forth the preferred embodiment of my invention. It is to be understood that the appended claim is to be accorded a range of equivalents consistent with the state of the prior art.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a front view of the body memher and electrical heating element of a portable electrical appliance.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view partly in gcross section illustrating this invention infcorporated in a portable electrical appliance.

.., Fig. 3'is a side elevational view similar'to igLl, but illustrating the body member as havingbeen moved to a horizontal position.

] lTigQAIis a cross sectional elevational view illustrating the invention incorporated in a walltype of heater.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating the device in lowered position in which it may serve as a room heater.

, Fig. 6 is a side elevational view illustrating theinvention applied to anauxiliary heating appliance for a cooking stove.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but illustrating the device as being moved to an out of the way position in which it may function as a room heater.

The invention may be outlined briefly as comprising a body member recessed upon one side thereof to receive a radiant type electrical heating element. This element is formed so as to provide a relativel flat face of substantial area to receive the ottom of a cooking utensil. The body member is secured to a permanent or portable support in such a manner that it may be swun either to a general upright position in whic it radiates heat laterally for heating a room, or may be swung to a horizontal position in which. the device may function as an electrical hot plate. Preferably locking means is provided so that when swung in horizontal position foruse as a hot plate. it will be locked in this position until manually released. To prevent fire hazard or accidental burning by contact with the electrical heating elements, the body member is preferably provided with a foraminous guard or grill, which ma be swung into operating position in front 0 the heating element when the device is being used as a room heater. When secured to one side of a cooking stove, it provides a convenient hot plate which may be readily swung into an out of the way position when not in use, or when it is desired to use the same as a room heater.

Referring to the drawings for a detail description of several specific embodiments of my invention, I have shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive a body member 9 which preferably includes a forward member 10 of suitable ma terial such as metal. Member 10 is spun or pressed to provide a depressed portion 11 forming a substantial cavity 12. Disposed within the cavity 12 there is. an electrical heating element 13 which is preferably of sucha type that it may be operated at a glowing temperature to radiate heat. A variety of electrical heating elements may be employed but I prefer for the purposes of this invention to utilize an element having a practically flat face of substantial area so as to conveniently receive the bottom of a cooking utensil. For example I have illustrated an electrical heating element of the type commonly used upon electrical cooking ranges and which is known as the open face tyge. Such an element comprises a relatively at refractory support 14 which is grooved or otherwise formed to receive one or more convoluted resistance conductors 15.

The back side of the body member is enclosed by a suitable wall 17, which is preferably spaced from the inner portion of indentation 11 so as to provide a heat insulatm air s ace 18. Apertures 19 and 21 are pre erab y provided with the upper and lower portions of member 10 "so as to permit flow of convective currents of air into the lower portion of the casing and out thru the upper portion thereof when the body member 1s in a general upright position. To further insulate and keep the back wall 17 at a relativel low temperature, I preferably insert a ba e wall 22 between the back wall 17 and the inner wall of indentation 11.

In that modification of the invention shown in Fi 1 to 3 inclusive, I have illustrated a porta le support in the form of a stand 24 to which the body member 9 is tiltably secured. For example I have utilized a hinge connection 26 between stand 24 and back wall 17 so that the body member may be swung from the position shown in Fig. 2, to the osition shown in Fig. 3. For locking the ody member to the position shown in Fig. 3, I utilize suitable means such as collapsible brace comprising members 27 and 28 pivotally secured together and likewise pivotally secured to the stand 24 and to a portion of back wall 17. This collapsible brace as adapted to automatically lock in extended position when the body member is swung into the horizon tal position shown in Fig. 3, and mag be readily broken upwardly to permit the ody members to swing in the position shown in Fig. 2. An elongated recess or indentation 31 may be provided in back wall 17 to provide space for this toggle brace when the same is in full collapsed position.

With the device as described above, it is obvious that when the body member is moved to a position such as shown in Fig. 2 it will radiate heat laterally and may be employed as a radiant type of room heater. When it is desired to employ the device as an electrical hot plate, it is swung to the horizontal osition shown in Fig. 3 and cooking utensi s or other objects to be heated may then be placed directly upon the heating element 13. To avoid e hazard or injury when the device is employed as a room heater, it preferably provides a foraminous guard or grill 33 which may be positioned in front of the electrical heating element when the device is emplo ed as a room heater, but which may be move to an out of the way position when the device is being employed as an electrical hot plate. For example I have shown a hinge connection 34 between the upper edge of this guard and member 10 of the body. This arrangement permits the guard to be swung back to expose the face of the heating element when the body member is in horizontal position.

In that modification of the invention shown in Fi s. 4 and 5, I have illustrated a device capab e of being suspended from a room wall. In this case one edge of the body member '9 is provided with a hinge connection 36 with a suitable support late 37. This supporting plate is provi ed with suitable means such as an aperture 39 to permit the same to be readily suspended u on a room wall. For locking the body member in horizontal position I have shown a suitable toggle brace 41 being connected to the lower portions of plate 37 and the body member 9, whereby the body member ma be swung to its lower position upon breakm the toggle brace upwardly. In the lowere position shown in Fig. 5, the device simulates the appearance of an ordinary radiant type wall heater and is fully as effective as the standard appliances of this In Figs. 6 and 7 I have illustrated a particularly advantageous arrangement in which the device serves as an auxiliar electrical appliance for a cooking range. n this case the body member 9 is hingedly secured to a suitable support member 42, and this member is mounted upon the side of a cooking range 43, as by means of a readily attachable clamp 44. When the body member 9 is in horizontal position the device may be employed as an electrical hot plate, either as an auxiliary plate for an electrical cooking range or as an electrical attachment to an ordinary gas or fuel ran e. It is obvious that an auxiliary device 0 this kind might occupy an inconvenient amount of room if permanently fixed to the cooking range. However with my arrangement, by collapsing the brace 41, the body member 9 and associated heatin element may be readily swung to a lowere and out of the way position as shown in Fig. 7. In this position the device may also function as a room heater in a manner previously described.

It is obvious from the above description that I have provided an electrical appliance having far greater utility than standard devices which are useful for only one purpose. It frequently happens that a domestic consumer does not have occasion to employ either a room heater or a hot plate continuously, and therefore the purchase of a single device such as herein described will serve both these functions.

I claim:

An electrical heating device for universal application comprising a body member formed to provide a concavity on one side thereof, a radiant electrical heating element disposed in said concavity, said element being formed to provide a relatively flat outer face of substantial area to receive a cooking utensil, a support, means for tiltably securing said body member to said su port, said securing means permitting the b y member to assume two general positions, one osition for heating a room by radiation in w ich the face of the heatin element is substantially upright, and anot er osition. for use as a hot plate in which sai face is substantially horizontal, and a foraminous guard hingedly secured to said body member and adapted to extendacross in front of said element when the device is utilized as a room heater, the hinge connection for said guard bein upon the upper ed e of the same when sai body member is su stantiallyu right.

In testimony whereof, have hereunto set my hand. I

WILLIAM WESLEY HICKS. 

